Midland hits 300 days without significant rain

Meredith MoriakMidland Reporter-Telegram

Published 3:06 pm, Friday, July 22, 2011

Photo: Graphic By Trevor Hawes/MRT From An Associated Press Photo

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This March 25, 2011 photo shows a dry river bed at Big Bend National Park along the banks of the Rio Grande in Texas, where it has not rained since September 2010. The amount of Texas land classified in one of the worst drought categories more than tripled in one month. (AP Photo/Mike Graczyk) less

This March 25, 2011 photo shows a dry river bed at Big Bend National Park along the banks of the Rio Grande in Texas, where it has not rained since September 2010. The amount of Texas land classified in one of ... more

Photo: Graphic By Trevor Hawes/MRT From An Associated Press Photo

Midland hits 300 days without significant rain

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Friday marked Midland's 300th day without significant rainfall, and unless tropical storms bring serious rains to West Texas, meteorologists said it will be fall before there are any signs of drought relief.

Daily rainfall of more than 0.1 inches is considered significant for this region, said Greg Murdoch, a senior meteorologist at the National Weather Service's Midland office. Since Sept. 26, the NWS has recorded only five days of measurable rainfall, none of which were significant.

Since January, only 0.16 inches of rain have been recorded at the Midland International Airport. This is far below the area's normal average rainfall of 6.06 inches from January to June.

Texas State Climatologist John Nielsen-Gammon said Texas is suffering from the effects of La Nina and particularly bad luck. La Nina is known for producing drier conditions in the southwest and occurs when waters in the Pacific Ocean are at a lower temperature than normal.

Although La Nina typically lasts from nine to 12 months, it can last up to two years.

This cycle has been especially devastating for West Texas, Nielsen-Gammon said. As a result, it is unlikely the next cycle, which typically occurs every two to seven years, will be as intense as the current one, he said.

Relief from the drought most likely will come from tropical storms during hurricane season, Murdoch said.

Currently, all signs indicate it will be an active hurricane season, Nielsen-Gammon said.

"Historically, those have brought heavy rain to different parts of the state," Murdoch said. "Last year we had several that did just that and brought rain to the southern half."

While these storms may produce rain for Midland, the drought will not end until there are multiple storms with significant rainfall, Nielsen-Gammon said.

Water must be abundant enough to soak into the ground and replenish the reservoirs.

It is possible Midland also could see relief from the southwest monsoon. As a result, moisture comes from the Gulf of California and keys thunderstorms in Arizona, New Mexico and West Texas, Nielsen-Gammon said.

Although storms typically don't make it as far east as Midland, it is possible they could provide spotty relief for the region, he said.

If neither occur, Murdoch said it is likely Midland will not see rain until the fall storms that are likely to form along cold fronts.

"For the most part, we'll stay with the persistence -- with above-normal temperatures and a below-normal chance of rain," Murdoch said.

The winter outlook does not indicate whether it will be a dry or wet season, Nielsen-Gammon said.

The current drought -- which has seen only 0.18 inches -- breaks the previous record for the driest consecutive nine months, which was 2.02 inches set from November 1950 to July 1951.